Dame Fortune - review added 24th August 2009
Album Review: The Secret Art (2009)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and songs dedicated to drug dealers
The Secret Art is L.A. band Dame Fortune's 3rd album and follows 2004's Both Sides Of Midnight and 2002's The Great Cosmic Scheme. There's been a 5 year gap since the last release so how does this compare to their earlier work? The answer is... I have no idea; I haven't come across them before...
The Secret Art is a perfectly respectable album with an honesty of sound a lot of bigger bands could take heed of. This is straight ahead heavy rock'n'roll bar music with a lively energy and clear uncluttered soul. There's little to blow you away, although the album has its moments, but this is still a band I'd enjoy seeing live with a pint in my hand and a good pie in my belly.
Dame Fortune is made up of Mike James (Guitars & Vocals) Jeff Wire (Bass & Vocals) David Blake (Guitars & Vocals) and John Merritt (Drums & Vocals). As far as I am aware none of them are Dames, although I have been wrong before.
'Perpetual Emotion Machine', co-written with Richard Davis (member of the Eagles' touring band) is a modern take on a 60's sound and works well. 'The Days Are Just Packed' is a fun-sounding summer rocker that's designed to pump as loud as possible on the beach. 'A Special Place' destroys everything else though. It's a heavy brute of a song apparently directed at a drug dealer. The main riff is brilliant but it's the beat that carries the song along. It's the sort of song Zeus would listen to whilst sat in his throne of righteous justice. Possibly.
'I Only Miss You When I Breathe' is a cleverly titled song with catchy lyrical content and more than a passing reference to modern Guns N' Roses. 'V for Vendetta' is another heavier track that's a little too simple for its own good. It's still catchy though. 'Good for What Ails You' goes down the modern 60's route again and is successful. It's likeable but isn't going to blow you away.
Dame Fortune's promo material describes their style as sleazy rock with comic book lyrics. Guess that's part way to describing them, although they are arguably a touch more straight ahead than they think they are. There isn't a single rubbish note on the album. Equally there's barely anything that slaps your bottom and offers to buy you a drink. This is good music by good musicians. You probably know if that's enough to make you buy this.
Check out... 'A Special Place'
Track List:
1. In Like Flynn
2. Perpetual Emotion Machine
3. If You May Not When You Will (You Will Not When You May)
4. Holly Fenton
5. Interlude
6. The Days Are Just Packed
7. A Special Place
8. Santa Ana Blues
9. I Only Miss You When I Breathe
10. The Edge
11. V for Vendetta
12. Secret Rulers (Of the World to Be)
13. Good for What Ails You
14. Hikikomori (Live As Though the Day Were Here)
Artist's website(s): Dame Fortune , MySpace
